Mediterranean Braised Green Beans (CI)

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 2- to 3- inch lengths
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped coarse
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Red wine vinegar

Mise en place.

Cook onion until softened.

Add garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant.

Add water, green beans, and baking soda and simmer for ten minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes and their juice, salt, and pepper and pop into a 275 degree oven until you can cut one of these suckers with your life.

I associate braised tomato-ey green bean dishes more with the Middle East than Mediterranean flavors so I tried to daub on a bunch of dried out harissa I had in the fridge.  Overall I thought this was a reasonably good dish, but eating all that baking soda made me feel a little funny.